SOUTH African President Thabo Mbeki will travel to Zimbabwe on Friday to meet President Robert Mugabe and political leaders, in his role as mediator for the Southern African Development Community, to discuss the current situation in the country.
"During his visit President Mbeki is expected to interact with the Zimbabwean political leadership," Ronnie Mamoepa, a spokesman for South Africa's department of foreign affairs, said on Thursday.
President Mbeki’s visit comes on the heels of a delegation he tasked to investigate incidents of political violence in Zimbabwe.
Mamoepa did not say whether President Mbeki will hold discussions with Movement for Democratic Change leader, Morgan Tsvangirai who is believed to have sought refuge in neighbouring Botswana.
Tsvangirai had indicated that he would be returning home by end of this week. It is not clear whether he is already in the country or not.
The newly appointed Tsvangirai spokesman, George Sibotshiwe, said the MDC have not been officially informed that President Mbeki will meet with the party.
"We know he (Mbeki) is meeting President Robert Mugabe. But we have no official communication that he is going to meet with the MDC or its leadership," Sibotshiwe said.
Mamoepa declined to name the political leaders he would meet nor details of the planned meeting.
It is likely that he will hold discussions with the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission’s head, George Chiweshe to discuss a run-off election date and the modalities of that election—including difficulties around recruitment of election officials, security and the cost of the run-off election.
President Mbeki is also likely to meet key service (security) chiefs to discuss the incidents of violence in the country.
"Mbeki will meet with the country's political leadership in the context of his Southern African Development Community (Sadc)-mandated facilitation process," said Mamoepa in a formal statement he issued, quoted by SAPA.
Regional leaders last month in Lusaka called on President Mbeki to continue his mission as chief mediator between Zimbabwe's ruling Zanu PF party and the opposition following the elections.
This will be President Mbeki’s first official visit to Zimbabwe since his mediation mandate was renewed at an Extraordinary Summit in Zambia last month.
The MDC has, however, asked for President Mbeki to be removed by the Sadc regional bloc as mediator and have their preferred choice—Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa—as mediator.
Meanwhile, the MDC is said to have reiterated their desire not to contest a run-off election, and have Tsvangirai declared the outight winner. This call was made by Tendai Biti, the party's secretary general, in Johannesburg South Africa.
Biti is also wanted by Zimbabwe police for questioning with regards to an annoucement he made that Morgan Tsvangirai was the new President of Zimbabwe. He also faces police questioning on allegations of incitement of violence.
